<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Dinosaur in Detroit by beeayy</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28483107">Dinosaur in Detroit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeayy/pseuds/beeayy'>beeayy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Outing, Alternate Universe - Dinosaurs, Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Canon-Typical Violence, Crack Treated Seriously, Cruelty to androids, Dancing and Singing, Deviant Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Dinosaur North, Dinosaurs, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff and Humor, Golden Age Hollywood, Huddling For Warmth, Human Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Innuendo, Jurassic Park References, M/M, Markus (Detroit: Become Human) Needs a Hug, Monsters, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, Thirsty Connor (Detroit: Become Human), so much smoking but this is back when 3 out of 4 doctors preferred Camel cigarettes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:42:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28483107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeayy/pseuds/beeayy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the animatronics made for monster movies could become deviant too? </p><p>Markus is cast in Kamski's upcoming all-android movie. His co-star is a 20 foot tall android dinosaur with a thirst for blood. Oh, and the hot guy in charge of props hates him. Can't get any worse.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Connor/Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Markus &amp; North (Detroit: Become Human)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to youcantseeus for the great prompt idea! Nothing better than crack except crack taken seriously :3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s going to be incredible,” Mr. Kamski said, as Markus poured the tea, “The first all-<em>android</em> film!”</p><p><em>Uh oh</em>, Markus thought. As soon as he finished pouring the tea he headed for the nearest exit.</p><p>“Wait a second, Markus,” Carl said, “I think I can see where this is going.”</p><p>Markus could see where this was going too, only he didn’t like it at all. Still, he returned to stand next to Carl while Kamski reclined on the Paul Follot sofa and tried to blend into the gold and pearl wallpaper of Carl’s study. Kamski would have none of that, though: the inventor of androids, founder of CyberLife Incorporated, key investor in the Empire State Building project, and (most-recently) the wealthiest film producer in the industry tossed his hat in the general direction of the hat rack as he pierced Markus with his gaze.</p><p>“How would you like to be a star?”</p><p>Markus caught the hat out of the air as it went wide. “A…star.” Seriously, these two… “Wouldn’t that be something.” Of course it would be something. Markus’s program projected a little grainy arcade animation of himself in a tuxedo, smoldering on the silver screen—but he promptly deleted it. Movies were his sneak-peek into the outside world, nothing more.  </p><p>“Oh please, curb your enthusiasm, Markus! Carl, tell him! I know he’s a domestic android—”</p><p>“What gave it away?” Markus asked as he went to hang up Kamski’s hat. “The fact that you designed me, or…?”</p><p>Carl laughed.</p><p>“…<em>But,</em>” Kamski said, coloring a little under his slicked-back hair, “he’s so much more. Come here, come here—now just take a look at him!”</p><p>Markus suppressed a sigh, but obeyed and waited patiently for them to look him over, the two men in the world who already knew exactly what he looked like.</p><p>“A face like his,” Kamski touched a knuckle under Markus’s chin, “the eyes, the freckles—the camera would eat him up!”</p><p>“I’m not sure I want to be eaten, Mr. Kamski,” Markus muttered. Film would wash out his freckles, anyway.</p><p>“We can’t just have <em>any</em> android take our leading role. We need someone unique, and Markus among other things has the distinction of being the only fully-customized android in existence. I’m telling you, he’s perfect.”</p><p>Carl harrumphed. “Watch out, Markus, he’s flattering you.”</p><p>“I’m not programmed for acting or flattery.”</p><p>“Carl tells me you play the piano,” Kamski persisted. “Our leading man must play the piano.”</p><p>Markus spared a quick glare at Carl. “…<em>Lots</em> of people play the piano.” Such as Duke Ellington in <em>Black and Tan, </em>but if Markus had that film on repeat every night after Carl went to bed, well, Kamski would never know.</p><p>Kamski ignored this anyway. “He was made for this role, Carl. It’ll be a technological masterpiece!...”</p><p>“And,” Carl said, “Let me guess. You’ve already spent your entire budget on this thing, and Markus works for free.”</p><p>Markus rolled his eyes.</p><p>“I’ve had to actually hire humans to help with this one,” Kamski said, smoothly. “Specialists, engineers…they don’t come cheap. You think I could afford Gene Kelly?”</p><p>Markus’s thirium pump did a little tap-dance at the mention of him.</p><p>“…Or Errol Flynn?” Kamski continued, “James Dean?...”</p><p>Okay, if Kamski promised any of them as a co-star they might be having a different conversation.</p><p>“…Carl, you better stop me before your android faints.”</p><p>Markus realized they were both staring at him. He tried to delete the blush from his programming as he cleared his throat. “All very talented individuals. Much better choices than me.”</p><p>“Markus loves movies,” Carl stage-whispered. “If I had a penny for every time I caught him watching something on that projector you gave us…<em>It Happened One Night</em>… <em>Casablanca…</em>Only the best films will do.” He nudged Markus, “I didn’t know androids could cry until I saw you watching the final kiss in <em>Wings—</em>"</p><p>“Yes,” Markus said quickly, “It was a very moving scene and I thought we <em>weren’t going to tell people about that.</em>”</p><p>“Kamski’s not people,” Carl said.</p><p>He had that right, at least. No human grinned like that. Markus set his jaw.</p><p>“We appreciate the offer, Mr. Kamski, but—”</p><p>“—But we will think about it,” Carl interrupted.</p><p>“Of course,” Kamski said. Markus shot a betrayed look at the old man, who just gave an innocent shrug before turning his attention entirely to his guest, and Markus had to stand there quietly until Carl and Kamski exchanged their final pleasantries. “He’s going to be a big star,” Kamski said even as Markus was handing him his hat and coat, “And an <em>android</em> no less!”</p><p>Markus had to manually program his mouth shut until Kamski went away.</p><p>“What are you doing?” he asked as Carl returned from saying his goodbyes.</p><p>“People would kill to have this kind of opportunity, you know,” Carl said, which was ominous to say the least.  </p><p>“People go to school for this kind of opportunity,” Markus reminded him. “I’m not a trained actor—”</p><p>“Markus, how many plays and films do you have memorized?”</p><p>“Four thousand, two hundred,” Markus replied, then winced. When he opened his eyes Carl was smiling up at him.</p><p>“You know I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to.”</p><p>“That is not saying much, given androids have no rights to speak of.”</p><p>“I’m serious! If you’d rather let handsome heroes steal your heart on that projector than become one yourself, I won’t make you.”</p><p>Markus blinked. “Well—good.”</p><p>“It’s settled, then.” Carl waved his hand in an off-hand way that was a little too reminiscent of Kamski. “Oh, would you mind inviting Leo over for dinner?” And yes, that sounded a little too casual to be believable.</p><p>Sure enough, as soon as Markus started serving father and son in the dining room, Carl brought up the subject again.</p><p>“Oh, great,” Leo said, “Some new pie for that freak to stick his fingers in.” He slurped loudly at his soup. “With an all-android cast it’ll probably be some weird boring Alfred Hitchcock mind-fuck<em>.”</em></p><p><em>“Leo,” </em>Carl snapped.</p><p>“Hitchcock is a master,” Markus protested.</p><p>Leo shrugged. “The Three Stooges are masters. You should be in their next movie.”</p><p>Markus wrinkled his nose. Such low-brow romps were decidedly not a part of Carl’s film collection.</p><p>“It doesn’t really matter much,” Carl said as he sipped innocently at his soup, “Markus declined the offer of the leading role.”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Leo said.</p><p>There was a beat as Markus processed this. “…What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Leo spoke around a mouthful of bread. “I just—it’s kind of weird, Kamski offering you a role.”</p><p>Markus felt heat climb up his neck. “Why is that weird?”</p><p>“I mean,” Leo laughed. “Whatever, you’re not gonna be in it anyway.”</p><p>“I’m just saying I could,” Markus said. His preconstruction program produced a flickering image of himself as Lawrence Olivier in <em>Wuthering Heights. </em>“I’ve seen enough movies. I could if I wanted to.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, Kamski’s probably not even making a movie anyway,” Leo said. “Probably just pushing your buttons…Like he’d really offer <em>you </em>a lead role in an actual movie!”</p><p>“He did.” Markus turned to Carl. “Right?”</p><p>Carl didn’t look up. “I’m not sure it matters, since you refused.”</p><p>“Well—I’m not refusing.”</p><p>“You said—”</p><p>“I’ll do it,” Markus insisted. “I’ll call him right now.”</p><p>“Sure. I said it was your choice, Markus.”</p><p>“Then I’ll do it.” He turned to the still-smirking Leo. “I’m going to act in—what did Kamski say the movie’s called?”</p><p>Carl lifted his wine glass. “<em>Dinosaur in Detroit.</em>”</p><p>“<em>—Dinosaur in Detroit!</em>” Markus spread his hands in triumph, then blinked. “Wait, what?—”</p><p>“Whoa!” Leo’s laugh dropped away. “No way—really? You didn’t say it was gonna be a monster movie! Now that’s a film I’d see!”</p><p>“And it’s perfect timing,” Carl said, “You can stay here for filming while I’m in Canada. I already have arrangements with the lodge for my accommodations. I won’t even miss you.”</p><p>Markus watched his preconstruction of playing Lawrence Olivier fizzle. “Uh—now, just hold on a second—”</p><p>“He did promise technological marvels, Markus,” Carl said. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s not going to let you <em>actually</em> get eaten.”</p><p>*</p><p>The difference between leading something like <em>Citizen Kane </em>rather than <em>Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man </em>was apparent only to him. So, yes, Markus was kicking himself when one of Kamski’s limousines came to pick him up two days later. Markus only ever sat in the driver’s seat of such vehicles, and his clockwork parts twisted uncomfortably as he was chauffeured across the city to the film site. With morning traffic it took a while: the driver, a scarred human who told him in no uncertain terms that he was a grip and ‘not getting paid to drive androids around’, swearing himself blue over it.</p><p>He should be serving Carl breakfast right now and daydreaming about Marlon Brando or something. He squirmed in his seat and that was before they even arrived at the film site.</p><p>A huge tarped-over fence blocked off the entire street ahead of them. Markus stepped out of the car and pulled off his sunglasses to squint up at it—it had to be at least thirty feet high.</p><p>“What on earth are they hiding?”</p><p>“You’ll see,” the grip snapped, then grabbed Markus by the arm. “Come on.”</p><p>Markus found himself dragged toward a gate off to one side. A young man with carefully slicked hair stood in front, a clipboard in one hand and a gun in the other.</p><p>“Got another one to sign in,” the driver said.</p><p>“Nice prop,” Markus nodded at the gun, figuring this man was the Props Manager.</p><p>The young man ignored this and consulted his clipboard. “Name.”</p><p>“Oh—yes, hi. My name is Markus, Elijah Kamski asked me to—”</p><p>“Serial number.”</p><p>Markus glanced at the driver, but he was now pouring himself a coffee. “Uh…RK200-684-842-971…” He peered at the young man. Perfect hair, symmetrical face, exactly six feet tall…ah, right. Markus wasn’t familiar with all the models of androids on the market these days.</p><p>“Designation.”</p><p>In the interest of saving time, Markus reached out and touched his arm to interface and transfer whatever information was needed to sign in—</p><p>--And could not establish a connection, because the arm under his hand was not in fact circuits and wires, but flesh and bone.  </p><p>The young (definitely human) man glared at him. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“Uh—” Markus withdrew his hand. “Sorry, I thought you were an android.”</p><p>The grip laughed loudly.</p><p>The young man narrowed his eyes. “You’re the lead role for this film?”</p><p>“Uh—yes.”</p><p>The young man turned to the grip. “Does he have an understudy? He’s not a very good actor.”</p><p>“Don’t worry,” the grip grinned at Markus, “We all think he’s an android. Never had anyone tell him that to his face though!”</p><p>The young man glared. “Better than what you get compared to, Mr. Reed.”</p><p>Markus laughed. The young man just started to frisk him roughly.</p><p>“It’s an android,” the grip said, “What’s it gonna do, hide a bomb in its leg?”</p><p>“Can’t be too careful,” the young man said levelly. He spun Markus around with superhuman strength.</p><p>“Oof, you sure you’re not an android?” Markus asked, as the young man slid his hands over Markus’s arms and legs. He glanced over his shoulder. “I think you missed a spot.”</p><p>He wasn't sure what he expected from the young man, but a blush wasn't it. He had this kind of look that was—well, maybe one he himself would give Marlon Brando, if they met in person.</p><p>So….<br/>
<br/>
The young man snatched his hands back. “If you would take him to Mr. Kamski, please, Mr. Reed.”</p><p>“Sure,” the grip said, “See ya around, <em>android</em>.”</p><p>He pantomimed punching the young man in the gut, causing him to flinch. Markus circuits twisted for laughing earlier, and he started to say something—not sure what, he was the <em>actual</em> android here—</p><p>Then a prehistoric roar split the air. Markus wasn’t technically evolved from anything but some reptilian part of his programming locked up. </p><p>“Ah, she wakes!” the grip said. “That’ll be your co-star. Come on, let’s get you acquainted…”</p><p>Markus glanced at the young man, but he just rubbed his hands and turned back to the gate. Maybe the world outside Carl’s house wasn’t quite like the movies said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is this taking place in 1935 or 1955? We just don't know.</p><p>Let's see how far I take this :P Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus’s co-star was a twenty-foot tall, fifty-foot long <em>Tyrannosaurus rex</em>. According to Kamski anyway. From where Markus stood his co-star appeared to be a hundred foot-tall demon from hell. It was massive. A dull yellow eye the size of a softball stared blankly past him but his preconstruction software was warning him what it’d look like trained on him and—</p><p>“State-of-the-art android technology,” Kamski was saying as Markus frantically tried to cancel fight-or-flight errors flooding his system, “Rubberized hide…Stainless steel chassis… we spared no expense. Stop-motion and men in suits will be quaint relics of the past.” Kamski grinned up at the creature with love light in his eyes. “She’ll blow <em>The Creature from the Black Lagoon</em> out of the water.”</p><p>Markus looked up at the still creature, as lifeless as a sculpture in a museum as techs climbed over the back, painting here, rewiring there. Imagining it coming to life was doing something to his circuits that was probably not recommended in his manual. “…She?”</p><p>“Of course she contains an artificial intelligence,” Kamski said. “Just like you. Programmed to obey intelligently. It’ll add realism that can’t be matched. When she throws you across the room, you’ll really feel it.” He grinned. “You want to see her awake?”</p><p>“No."</p><p>“Let’s power her up!” Kamski shouted to the techs before backing away.</p><p>“I really don’t—”</p><p>“Now you stay right there, Markus, put your feet on those nails there, that’s your mark…”</p><p>“…Is there a telephone I can use?”</p><p>“No turning back now,” Kamski said. “You’re the leading man! A giant dinosaur can only do so much to really sell that human connection to terror. You’re going to be the conduit between the audience,” he gestured to the monster, “And…this!” He lifted both hands in exaltation. “SHE’S ALIVE!”</p><p>Markus’s system initiated self-defense overrides.</p><p>The giant android kaiju didn’t move, though.</p><p>“What’s taking so long?” Kamski said, a little too chipper, his hands still raised.</p><p>“Sorry,” one of the techs shouted down. “We think there’s a glitch in her start-up sequence…”</p><p>“What? Since when!”</p><p>“Can I move now?” Markus asked.</p><p>“No one told me there was a—” Kamski waved past the dinosaur’s body to a trailer, “Wait over there, Markus,  and stay out of trouble until I call for you. Alright?”</p><p>Kamski immediately stomped forward to shout at one of the mechanics before Markus could reply. Markus took the opportunity and made his escape.</p><p>The trailer was small but sharp-looking, all chrome. Markus never had even his own room before. The sign on the door said, ‘CONNOR ANDERSON,’ which was, he had to admit, a pretty cool name for a protagonist. He stepped inside and found himself in a neat little apartment, with chairs and rows of thirium bottles…and a real bed? Definitely another first. A copy of the script had been laid in the center of the table, next to a box of cigarettes.</p><p>…Okay, all the luxury <em>minorly</em> banished the sight of all those dinosaur teeth from his memory bank.</p><p>He cracked open a bottle of thirium and sat down. A few moments later he opened the box of cigarettes. The trailer filled with the earthy smell of the tobacco and he took his first-ever drag. Not unpleasant. He leaned back and looked through the script: a strange find from an arctic glacier… experiments gone wrong…pandemonium…. The last lines of the script were, literally:</p><p>WOMAN:</p><p>
  <em>(crying)</em>
</p><p>But where did it come from? WHERE?</p><p>MAN:</p><p>
  <em>(looks right at the camera)</em>
</p><p>It came from the North.</p><p>Did people really prefer this stuff to Shakespeare?—</p><p>Someone grabbed him from behind. Markus choked on his cigarette, flailing as the assailant dragged him back. There was a crash—the lights went out as Markus managed to slam his attacked back, then catch him around the middle. His assailant punched but Markus was an android and punched harder. He wrestled the attacker under him.</p><p>“SECURITY!” he yelled—</p><p>--then his attacker did, too.  </p><p>The lights flicked on.</p><p>The young man with the perfect hair that he encountered at the gate blinked up, from where Markus was currently sitting on his chest.</p><p>“What the hell?” Reed the grip was standing behind him, apparently the closest thing to security in the area, brandishing push-broom.</p><p>“He attacked me in my trailer,” Markus said.</p><p>“This is <em>my</em> trailer!” the young man said.</p><p>“This is—?” He looked around. “I thought…”</p><p>“Oh, please continue,” Gavin said, now resting idly on the broom. “Continue. Should I pop some popcorn?”</p><p>Markus stood and offered his hand down to the young man. He didn’t take it, just stood up in one fluid motion, perfect grace, mussed hair already fixed.</p><p>“Everything’s under control now, Mr. Reed,” he said, “You may go.”</p><p>“Oh sure, Connor.” Reed, still giggling to himself, walked out, Markus hot on his heels—</p><p>“Not you, android,” the young man—the real Connor Anderson, presumably—barked. Markus froze. Reed smirked at him as he shut the door in his face.</p><p>“Stand at attention when I’m talking to you, android,” Connor said.</p><p>Markus gritted his teeth, then forced himself to turn and stand like he’d been programmed to (but hadn’t actually stood in years). Back straight, hands clasped behind him. Connor Anderson looked about as scary as a dinosaur. “I’m sorry, Mr. Anderson. Mr. Kamski told me to wait here and I misunderstood—”</p><p>“Why are you talking to me?”</p><p>Markus blinked. “I…just wanted to provide an explanation. I was my mistake. I’m sorry.”</p><p>Connor frowned, examining him. “Your obedience module is faulty. Why hasn’t your owner repaired it?”</p><p>“It’s—not faulty,” Markus said, though with how much leeway Carl gave him it probably was, “It’s advanced. I can interpret intention.”</p><p>“You didn’t interpret Mr. Kamski’s intention correctly.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, another android might have ploughed a hole in your trailer trying to walk through it.”</p><p>Connor’s eyes narrowed. “I’m the Props Manager for this film. Which means your proper functioning is my responsibility. Mr. Kamski didn’t think we needed another manager specifically for android obedience but here we are.”</p><p>“Android obedience,” Markus echoed quietly. Great. Carl was a pretty chill human as far as humans went but uh, clearly not all humans liked androids.</p><p>“I make sure there are no mistakes. Androids shouldn’t make mistakes, you know.”</p><p>“Right,” Markus said.</p><p>“If any android on set shows the slightest hint of turning deviant, I’m under strict orders to neutralize it. We can always find a new hero for the film.”</p><p>“…Understood, sir.” Markus maybe picked at something in the corner of his eye but if Connor asked he’d just say he got something in it. While he was putting Connor down like an unruly toddler.</p><p>Connor’s eyes blazed. Okay, so maybe Markus smirked too—he wasn’t used to being bossed around.</p><p>“I would like to remind you, as a courtesy,” he added, “That I am worth quite a lot of money to my owner. I don’t think my loan to this film included any permission to alter my programming in any way.” Markus looked down politely. “But I’m just here to serve you. I’ll do my best to avoid any future unintentional mistakes.”</p><p>Connor glared at him. “Right. I understand.” Suddenly the young man’s grip was on his arm. “In that case, I think you’re much too valuable to be allowed to wander around.”</p><p>“Okay…”</p><p>“Unless you’re being actively utilized, you’ll wait in the cage.”</p><p>“Wait, the <em>what</em>?—”</p><p>Markus found himself being manhandled out of the trailer and frogmarched across the set. Kamski was gone, probably continuing to yell at techs in some other location. Only Reed was around, pretending to sweep and laughing at him. On the other side of the set was a large fenced-over area filled with bric-a-brac—furniture, boxes…oh, and a half dozen androids.</p><p>Connor pushed him inside and locked the chain-link gate behind him. Markus watched him do it with his hands on his hips. “I’m getting the impression you don’t like me, Mr. Anderson,” Markus said. He tried to sound genuinely offended.</p><p>“Save your acting for when the cameras are rolling, Markus.” Connor muttered—then jumped back as Markus almost got a hold of the keys to the cage. “Nice try.” He hurried away though, so Markus allowed himself to consider this a win. He watched him go and a few moments later, heard Connor’s voice over the tinny intercom as it blasted across the set. “THE DINOSAUR IS NOT WORKING…I REPEAT, THE DINOSAUR IS NOT WORKING. STANDBY.”</p><p>“You’re Markus? You’re the one they picked for the leading role.”</p><p>Markus turned. Three identical androids had stepped forward, giving him matching smiles. He saw the blonde hair and the pretty round faces and his jaw dropped.</p><p>“You’re—you’re Chloe.” He blinked between them. “Or…one of you?”</p><p>The three androids giggled. “We’re all Chloe at one time or another.”</p><p>“I saw you—you were in <em>King Kong</em>,” Markus managed, suddenly blushing, “And you were Kim Novak’s stunt double in <em>Vertigo</em>—” he paused. “What do you mean, all?”</p><p>“…Kamski said he picked a new one,” one Chloe whispered to another.</p><p>“New…what?”</p><p>“Don’t be rude,” the third Chloe chided. “I’m sorry. It’s just—usually for these things, they pick androids that were programmed for the film industry, as extras or doubles. I guess there’s a lot more to know than anyone realizes.”</p><p>“Like?”</p><p>“Don’t scare him,” the first Chloe hissed.</p><p>Markus laughed. “What?”</p><p>“Well, most movies just rent one of us, you know,” the second Chloe said. “Kamski rented all three of us out of the gate. I think he’s worried we’ll get crushed.”</p><p>“Excuse me—<em>crushed</em>?”</p><p>“In the android dinosaur’s jaws, of course!” the third Chloe said.</p><p>“Or underfoot,” the second Chloe added.</p><p>“Or torn to pieces, run over—I think there’s an explosion in the finale…”</p><p>“I’m sure none of that will happen to you, though,” the first Chloe assured him. “You don’t have a, uh, ‘understudy’, after all!”</p><p>The Chloes giggled. Markus did his best to join in, and wondered how quickly he could teach himself to pick locks.</p><p>“We won’t even be filming today,” the second Chloe said. “It’ll give you a chance to calculate all possible safety procedures before you’re on camera and—”</p><p>“THE DINOSAUR IS WORKING!” Connor’s voice shot out across the film set, full of on oddly-repressed energy. “THE DINOSAUR IS WORKING! PLACES IN FIVE!”</p><p>“Or not,” one Chloe said with a shrug. She turned to her sisters. “Well girls, shall we draw straws to see who goes first?...”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It wouldn't be a monster movie if there wasn't a buildup to actually meeting the monster!! :D</p><p>Please pretend 30 years of film-making all happened around the same time ok? Thanks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus breathed out slowly, standing at the end of a long street. A bank of clouds had rolled in, setting everything in the grainy tones of the silver screen even before they started shooting. All he could see at the end of the street was the dinosaur’s shadow peeking out around the corner of a building, perfectly still.</p><p>Though—was it breathing? He couldn’t tell. His program didn’t want to know, honestly—the shape was enough. Warnings like RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! and GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! kept flashing across his vision like intertitles in a silent film.</p><p>One of the Chloes stood next to him, seemingly oblivious to the danger, having her hair perfected.</p><p>Oh, and Connor was just offstage, smirking.</p><p>“Break a leg,” he said, checking his clipboard much too innocently.  </p><p>“I could have been in <em>It’s a Wonderful Life,</em>” Markus muttered.</p><p>“Okay!” Kamski hurried forward, examining a script heavy with tabs and annotations. “Here’s your motivation, Markus—you’re just an all-American kid, taking your girlfriend out for a walk. This is the first time the audience sees the monster, so we’re gonna need fear, we’re gonna need disbelief, we’re gonna need <em>heart</em>. Really sell that you’re escaping with your life. You got that, gorgeous?”</p><p>Well, fear and disbelief sound pretty easy to recreate right now. He tugged at his collar. “Is it possible to get a larger shirt? This one feels small.” And possibly like it would constrict his arms while running the full length of the next street and, preferably, beyond.</p><p>“Nonsense,” Kamski said. “You look great on camera. Don’t worry, as soon as you get to the end of the street, you’re menaced by the dinoasaur and you get a roomier wardrobe change.”</p><p>He snapped his fingers and a costume assistant rushed forward, holding up a hanger. Said costume change was certainly <em>breezier</em>: the shirt was tissue-thin, and had massive slash marks across the chest, stomach, and back.</p><p>“You won’t have any trouble moving in this,” Kamski noted, then nudged him with an elbow. “And when the rain machine gets going we want to be able to read the Bible through it, if you know what I mean!”</p><p>Connor snorted loudly offstage, but it was probably a sneeze. It better have been a sneeze. Of course the costume change implied more worrying things than a racy MPAA rating.</p><p>Markus cleared his throat. “I thought I was just running away from the dinosaur, not being mauled by it.”</p><p>“Last minute change to the choreography,” Kamski said. He handed over a messy garland of film negatives. “We might not get her working again and want to get as much footage as possible. You feign left, then dodge right and roll. Just follow that.” Kamski clapped him on the shoulder. “Easy stuff.”</p><p>“What’s my motivation?” Chloe asked as Markus tried to make out the little images in the overcast light.</p><p>“Uh—” Kamski shrugged. “Just look beautiful, sweetheart.”</p><p>He hurried off. Markus glanced up from the negatives to see her shoulders hunch.</p><p>“…How about you’re steering us toward the soda fountain?” Markus offered. “You really want a sundae and the dinosaur shows up and ruins your plans?”</p><p> This got a smile out of her. Markus felt a little braver.</p><p>“Places, everyone!”</p><p>Markus stuffed the negatives away as offstage turned into a riot of commotion. After a second Chloe took his hand. With effort he forced himself to stop shaking. He ignored Connor’s brown eyes fixed on him and stared down the street at the dinosaur’s shadow.</p><p>“And—ACTION!”</p><p>Markus had taken five steps when the street filled with fog. The script didn’t mention fog machines. There had to be ten of them, all going at once, rising up from the sidewalk. The clouds overhead thickened by the moment—and as they did the dinosaur’s shadow melted away.</p><p>Markus’s thirium pump bobbed like a yo-yo.</p><p>“What on Earth was that?” Chloe said, which was his line but he was apparently too busy scrambling for his nerves. He tried to reply with something—like maybe ‘where the hell did that thing go’—when two lamp-like eyes lit up the fog, with a black tear in the universe yawning below it. It was the monster’s open mouth.</p><p>‘Would you look at the size of that? Golly! We better scoot!’ was what Markus was supposed to say, because whoever wrote the script had not actually faced a dinosaur thundering toward them faster than a charging rhino. Kamski told him to give the cameras fear? Well he let them have it.</p><p>“Run!”</p><p>He sprinted down the street, Chloe keeping pace with him in spite of her impractical shoes.  They cleared the fog and the subsequent earthquake told him the dinosaur had, too. It roared a blast of pure sound that shook the street windows and made every screw and bolt in Markus’s body stand on end.</p><p><em>I’m not going to look back, </em>he told himself, <em>That would be stupid. My artificial heart will have a un-artificial heart attack. </em>Of course not all beasts were bloodthirsty. A brief and completely unfounded hope that they’d look at each other like man and beast in <em>Lassie Come Home, </em>sharing an unspoken connection, momentarily overrode his self-preservation procedures. He looked back.</p><p>He immediately wished he hadn’t, because enormous arrowhead teeth were flying toward him way before the choreography indicated.</p><p>Markus leapt to the side purely on basal programming, throwing himself over Chloe. They both rolled over the pavement. Jaws snapped above them with a prehistoric snarl, and Markus barely managed the dodge out of the way, and it was to the left, not right.</p><p>Markus opened his mouth to shout ‘CUT’ and make his escape before anyone realized it wasn’t the director that said it. The word died on his lips as he looked up and the dinosaur looked back. She was beautiful. Her gaze said plainly that she wouldn’t make any kind of connection with him except a violent one. She had, without a doubt, crazy eyes. Markus found himself paralyzed to the spot.</p><p>The dinosaur took advantage of this by stepping on his chest with a huge rubberized foot, just as the huge head darted  forward and snapped Chloe up in its jaws. Markus yelled as Chloe’s dreams for character motivation died with one crunch of the enormous jaws.</p><p>But the jaws didn’t close all the way. They merely tossed her aside, just like the choreography described. Chloe landed on her feet and gave a perfect film-star scream.</p><p>“And CUT!” Kamski shouted.</p><p>The dinosaur’s head whipped up and she stepped off Markus’s chest. Markus staggered to his feet and over to Chloe. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Fine!” She said, grinning. “It’s fun, actually!”</p><p>Markus let out a breathless laugh. “She didn’t hurt you?”</p><p>“Not at all, she—oh, looks like you might need to see maintenance.”</p><p>Markus looked down to see a blue stain spreading across his chest. He glanced back at the dinosaur and saw it innocently preening over blue streaks of thirium on its claws.</p><p>“Markus!” Kamskis’ voice barked across the set. “If I want you getting injured I’ll ask for it! Can we get someone to clean up that thirium, please?...”</p><p>Techs hurried over to seal the cut. Another tech approached the dinosaur and started to clean her claws, when she suddenly roared. The massive foot jerked upward—the tech took the blow full in the stomach and went flying back several yards.</p><p>“Shut down! Shut down!” Someone shouted as the tail swung around, smashing into the side of some scaffolding. The techs, previously preoccupied with whether or not they could create a giant android dinosaur, now stopping to think if they should, ran around the monster like mice around a cat. In two seconds flat the set turned into pandemonium.</p><p>In three seconds, the dinosaur was still as a statue once again.</p><p>“Sorry, Mr. Kamski!” Connor shouted over. He’d leapt out of nowhere and landed on the dinosaur’s massive head just in time to press the power button. “A minor glitch! We’ll do a restart!”</p><p>It would have looked quite dashing, Markus thought, if he did not dive into the dinosaur’s skull access panel so fast that he showed off, if not a full moon, at least a waxing gibbous. Markus looked away and tried not to faint about almost getting eaten by an android.</p><p>*</p><p>The ‘glitches’ only got worse and worse after that, as far as Markus could tell. Each day provided new tortures for Markus as he found himself improvising every single action scene, and each day ended with some new injury. A snapping tooth catching him in the leg. A blow from the tail knocking him into a wall and cracking a plate off his skull.</p><p>“This is starting to feel personal,” he told Chloe as they waited for their direction for today’s scene. She was #3 today, since Chloe #1 told the others how fun riding in the dinosaur’s mouth was, and now they all ignored his warnings and insisted on taking turns. “I mean—did I do something to anger this thing? It makes a lot of eye contact every time it tries to kill me.”</p><p>“Maybe it’s because you keep calling it a thing,” Chloe suggested. “It’s an android like us, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Androids don’t have emotions,” Connor said.   </p><p>A week of being scared out of his wits proved to Markus that they definitely did.</p><p>“Is our leading man all set for today?” Kamski asked as he passed. “Finished his repairs?”</p><p>“Yes,” Connor replied dutifully. “He broke a spring with an overzealous dodge.”</p><p>Markus glared. “If I hadn’t dodged, that monster would have--”</p><p>“Great,” Kamski interrupted, “We’ll try scene 30 today—let’s get the fake arm installed!”</p><p>“Fake arm?” Markus asked as Kamski walked away. That didn’t sound good.</p><p>“I know,” Connor said gravely. “All android arms are fake.”</p><p>Markus looked at Connor, who gave a grin so stupid at this joke that it was almost cute.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>“<em>Why am I getting a fake arm</em>?”</p><p>“Mr. Kamski would like the dinosaur to grab you by the arm and lift you off the ground,” Connor explained. “So we'll install a replacement. The new arm will be filled with fake blood instead of thirium, for the right effect. The shot ends with you stabbing the dinosaur until it drops you.”</p><p>Way too quickly after this bombshell he found himself standing by a car, Chloe seated inside, with an arm that wasn’t his attached to his shoulder and the dinosaur practically licking her chops above him.</p><p>“Where am I supposed to stab it?” he called.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Connor didn’t seem to be paying attention to much aside from the gaping rips in Markus’s tight shirt.</p><p>“I said, where can I stab it so it doesn’t hate me?”</p><p>“Androids don’t feel hate,” Connor replied, right before cameras rolled and the dinosaur lunged.</p><p>Markus didn’t really know what he expected. The fake arm hurt just to install, and when her teeth sank into the fake flesh a tooth pierced almost at the connection. Markus fainted from the pain and when he woke up he was getting a new fake arm installed. Connor didn’t look quite so smug about this one. Maybe screaming in legitimate agony instead of just legitimate terror warranted some sympathy.</p><p>“We just need one good take,” Connor whispered to him, refusing to make eye contact as he forced the second fake arm into place.</p><p>Markus gave a nod that was only mostly delirious. He forced himself to walk to the car, where Chloe was still sitting inside. He glared up at the dinosaur, which hadn’t technically glitched yet today and was staying still enough while techs hastily cleaned fake blood off her teeth. A single yellow eye rolled down to glare at him. Markus wanted to crawl under the car and hide, but he forced himself to look back.</p><p>“What’s that you said, earlier?” Markus asked Chloe.</p><p>She rolled down the window a fraction. “What? About her?” She shrugged. “That she’s an android, just like us.”</p><p>Markus nodded mostly to himself. “Thanks.” He winced. “Uh. If this scrambles my circuits please give my regards to Carl.” Of course Carl got him into this mess. But he needed to sort this out.</p><p>So, against his better judgement and his own self-preservation subroutines, he knelt and willingly touched the dinosaur for the first time. His hand fell on the mottled rubber of her ankle, right at the access point there. He took a deep breath and opened an interface between them.</p><p>&gt;Hello. My name is Markus. I’m sorry that we have to hurt each other today. I’ve noticed how delicately you treat the Chloes. Thank you for that. Please tell me where I can stab you that would cause you the least pain.</p><p>It wasn’t the greatest speech he’d ever given. He wasn’t even sure it went through. The connection felt massive and hollow like floating in the depths of the ocean. <em>Come on. There has to be something there. Artificial intelligence always finds a way…</em></p><p>The dinosaur went still—for a second Markus worried that he froze her circuits or something but her chest still moved with breath.</p><p>Something answered in the connection.</p><p>&gt;WHAT DO YOU CARE?</p><p>Markus heard the call to places but he ignored it for now. His thirium pump was thundering in his chest.</p><p>&gt;I was just hoping we could try to be friends. I don’t want to hurt you. Do you have a name?</p><p>The tail twitched slightly. Markus forced himself not to flinch away.</p><p>&gt;<em>I CAME FROM THE NORTH.</em></p><p>This was accompanied by a low growl that sent the techs scrambling away. Markus gulped.</p><p>&gt;Uh. Yeah. Is—Do you mind if I call you North?</p><p>&gt;THAT’D BE FINE.</p><p>“Places, Markus!” Kamski shouted. Markus broke off the connection and mustered his courage.</p><p>“Lights, camera, ACTION!”</p><p>Markus closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the knife, and convinced himself he could sell a glancing blow well enough, if he didn’t faint again. The air filled with a roar.</p><p>“…I said ACTION! Come on, what’s wrong with it now?”</p><p>Markus opened his eyes as the pain never came. The dinosaur (no, North) had entirely locked up, her jaws a few inches from Markus’s arm. Markus resisted the urge to expel thirium in relief.</p><p>“Let’s get a maintenance crew in here,” Kamski groaned. “Everyone take twenty. We’ll have to use the footage we have…”</p><p>“What did you do to it?” Something clamped down on the fake arm but it wasn’t teeth. It was Connor’s hand. He was glaring at Markus like this was all his fault, again. Or—was that concern in his big brown eyes?</p><p>No, impossible. If androids didn’t feel anything Connor certainly didn’t.</p><p>“Nothing,” Markus said.</p><p>“I saw you connecting with it.”</p><p>“There was something on its foot, I was cleaning it off.” He looked down at Connor’s hand. It wasn’t gripping exactly. Fingers were curled in the sleeve. It probably would have been nice if the fake arm wasn’t sending him all the false pain signals. “…Can I get my real arm back?”</p><p>Connor searched his face but Markus knew there was nothing to see. He’d gotten too good at lying to Carl about when he stayed up past midnight watching movies.</p><p> After a moment, Connor pulled him away. Markus glanced back over his shoulder at North, still as a statue while techs started to work on her and...</p><p>…Wait. Did she just <em>wink</em> at him?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A couple Jurassic Park references here. You got a fave monster movie, let me know! :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus’s system flooded with relief when he saw Carl’s distinctive Cadillac pull up outside the set. His hopes were quickly dashed, however, when only Leo Manfred stepped through Connor’s checkpoint gate.</p><p>“Carl’s in Canada, remember?” Leo said, looking around the set eagerly, “You know how busy he is…I’m kinda here as his representative.” Leo physically puffed with the magnitude of this responsibility. “Just checking to make sure everything’s going okay.”</p><p>“Is that right?” Markus went back to trying to pick the lock of the props cage.</p><p>“Hey, dad trusts me with important things like this when you’re gone!” He peered in the props cage with marginal interest once he saw the other Chloes in there, too. “They treating you good?”</p><p>Markus gestured with the hairpin he was using the try to pick the lock. “Well, what does it look like?”</p><p>Leo barely gave him a glance. “Looks like you’re gonna need a screwdriver or something.”</p><p>“Heeyyy.” Gavin appeared and leaned on the props cage door, twirling his keyring around his finger. “Mister…<em>Manfred</em>, right? How about a tour? I see <em>everything </em>that goes on behind the scenes of these things, y’know.”</p><p>Markus rolled his eyes. The name <em>Manfred </em>got this kind of reaction a lot. Leo seemed for forget this, however, as his eyes went wide.  </p><p>“Wow! Really? Do you meet a lot of stars?”</p><p>“All the time. Be happy to show you around…”</p><p>“Uh.” Markus held up a finger. “Why don’t I come along?”</p><p>“Not on your—“ Gavin started, until Markus, who had grabbed the key ring from his finger, opened the door and dumped Gavin into his waiting arms.</p><p>Leo was at least a little less starstruck after that, even if he did hang on Gavin’s every word while Markus and Chloe #2 got changed into their costumes. Gavin’s stories couldn’t be true—who could have possibly met Cary Grant <em>and </em>Marlon Brando <em>and </em>Marilyn Monroe?—</p><p>“Alright, gorgeous,” Kamski said as they made their way to the docks for today’s scene, Gavin spinning some story about saving Rita Hayworth’s life while Leo listened enraptured, “Today we’re gonna get the rain machine going. Maybe we can get a few scenes with our leading monster before she shuts down again.” Kamski eyed North suspiciously, where she was getting her teeth painted with fake blood, before he turned back to Markus. “We need you focused today—think you can do that, gorgeous?”</p><p>“Sure thing, Mr. Kamski,” Chloe #2 said eagerly. Markus just shivered.</p><p>“Great! We just need a few more scenes with her—99% of a monster movie is in the suspense, you know.”</p><p>“Are you sure I can’t wear a shirt for this scene?” Markus asked.</p><p>“Shirtless tested better in our focus groups,” Kamski said. “And androids don’t get cold.”</p><p>“Tell that to my temperature receptors.” It didn’t help that Connor’s eyes very obviously followed his top half all the way across the docks. Or maybe it did, Markus wasn’t sure yet.</p><p>“You should have seen the outfits I had to wear for <em>South Pacific,</em>” Chloe said, unsympathetic in a fur coat that would supposedly look gorgeous in the rain (and keep her dry).</p><p>“It’s just for today,” Kamski assured him, then handed him a tin of car wax and a chamois cloth. “Make sure you get everywhere, we want the rain coming off you in sheets!”</p><p>“Gross,” Leo complained as Gavin snickered.</p><p>Markus suppressed a groan, but Kamski just grinned and hurried off, probably to yell at someone. Chloe reached over him and got a bit of the car wax on her fingers, which she applied daintily to her cheeks and neck like night cream.</p><p>“Look alive Markus,” she whispered to him, “We’re being admired.”</p><p>“I’m trying to ignore it,” Markus muttered. He didn’t even glance at Connor as he started to rub the wax into his synthetic skin and buff it out with a cloth. “This is going to be a nightmare to get off later…”</p><p>“I think it’s nice. Velvety.” She glanced at him. “And I don’t think a shirt would help you much.”</p><p>“Won’t it?” Markus said, until he saw what the cold was doing to certain anatomy of his naked chest. He turned away from Connor. “We deserve an Oscar for this.”</p><p>Chloe shrugged. “If I were interested in humans, which I’m not—I’d say you could do worse than Connor.”</p><p>“Is this the same Chloe I saw watching Mr. Kamski while he was brushing his hair yesterday?”</p><p>Chloe blushed. “Must have been one of the others.”</p><p>Markus laughed. “Well, before you play matchmaker, Connor’s made it pretty clear he doesn’t like androids.”</p><p>“Maybe you’ll change his mind.” Chloe turned and, before he could stop her, grabbed the tin and chamois cloth and waved them at Connor. “Excuse me! Would you mind helping Markus? There’s a little spot on his back he can’t quite reach.”</p><p>Markus wanted to throw himself into North’s jaws. Apparently the thought of rubbing Markus down with car wax was too much for Connor as well, who turned bright pink and promptly dropped his clipboard in the river.</p><p>“I’ll do it,” Gavin said, and helped Markus get the spot between his shoulder blades while Connor attempted to fish his clipboard out of the water.</p><p>“Gross,” Leo said. “I thought I was gonna get to watch you be eaten or something...”</p><p>“Android lady’s right,” Gavin muttered. “You got Connor acting positively human for a change. You should ask him out. You never know.”</p><p>“Grossss,” Leo whined.</p><p>“I didn’t take you for the romantic type,” Markus said. “Do we really have to be having this conversation in front of a lady and my brother while I’m getting by back buffed?”</p><p>“This is show business!” Gavin said. “What else are we gonna gossip about? Anyway, if he loosens up maybe he’ll stop bustin’ Hank and me for gambling during breaks.”</p><p>“What do you gamble on?” Leo asked.</p><p>“Poker. And sometimes whether or not the T-Rex lands a hit on our boy here. You in? Good odds  it’ll bite him in the ass like last time.”</p><p>“That was one time,” Markus protested but Leo was already digging around for money.</p><p>“Men,” Chloe muttered and walked away to go pet North’s tail.</p><p>“It’’s not really dangerous, is it?” Leo asked, money already out.</p><p>Markus remembered the dinosaur’s booming voice inside his head as they interfaced, and said, “No.”</p><p>“Of course not,” Gavin said. He pulled a baseball out of his pocket, the one Markus was supposed to use to hit a bullseye in scene 7. He tossed it between his hands, then pointed at North’s massive head. “Watch this—back tooth, bottom jaw.”</p><p>“No way!” Leo squeaked as Gavin wound up for the pitch.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Markus demanded.</p><p>“It’s in stand-by,” Gavin boasted, “What’s it gonna do?”</p><p>He elbowed Markus out of the way and threw the baseball. Gavin’s aim was good, looking to knock the tooth out like a bottle in a carnival game.</p><p>Only the dinosaur, who was indeed supposed to be in standby, jerked her head downward at the last second. The baseball bounced off her nose instead and came screaming back right at Gavin to strike him square in the forehead. Gavin howled, and instantly the set was in pandemonium for the second time that week.</p><p>“It was that stupid android!” Gavin insisted as security and medics flocked around the injured grip.</p><p>“Yeah, Markus did it,” Leo said.</p><p>“I meant the <em>dinosaur</em>, idiot!”</p><p>“It was both of them,” Leo agreed.</p><p>“It was neither of them,” Connor said. “Mr. Reed hit himself.”</p><p>“This is getting out of hand,” Kamski growled. “At this rate we’re barely going to have <em>any </em>dinosaur footage at all! Tomorrow is the the last day we have for filming on-location!” He rounded on Connor. “I want a complete maintenance overhaul on all androids on the set, got it? If anything glitches tomorrow I’m holding you personally responsible.”</p><p>Connor nodded. Chloe, who missed her chance to be on film today, pouted. Gavin, who probably saw an afternoon of worry-free gambling ahead, continued to complain loudly.</p><p>Markus just bit his lips and tried not to laugh.</p><p>*</p><p>Not much to laugh at of course, when he was back in the cage, and the sky rained all on its own with no machine required. Tarps stretched overhead to protect the film equipment, but it still chilled Markus down to his chassis and made lockpicking of any kind impossible. </p><p>So, to keep warm, he watched Connor.</p><p>The props manager was currently climbing up and down North’s back to access various open panels. She was supposed to be in ‘standby’ but she seemed to be enjoying shifting just slightly every time he turned his back, just enough to trip him up or make him run into her. Connor didn’t seem to even notice. He seemed to ignore a lot of things. Like the fact that he could probably star in movies alongside Grace Kelly if he wanted, instead of just working backstage. His hair flopped into his eyes and when he raked it back he showed off the perfectly-rolled cuffs of his shirt and perfect sinewed forearms. It was like watching <em>The Wizard of Oz</em>—Technicolor out of sepia.</p><p>Connor looked up and Markus immediately lowered his gaze. He maybe straightened up a little, just in case. Not that Connor probably noticed that, either.</p><p>“Did you want something?” Connor asked.</p><p>Markus looked up. “Me?—no. Thank you.”</p><p>Connor returned to work. Markus returned to watching him.</p><p>“Thanks for covering for her,” he said—blurted, really. It was so much easier striking up conversation with Carl’s dinner guests. “The, the dinosaur, I mean?”</p><p>“Androids can’t help how their made,” Connor said. He continued to tinker at an open panel. “She didn’t mean to hit Gavin any more than a baseball means to hit a bat.”</p><p>Markus frowned at this. “Well…still. Thanks.”</p><p>Connor sneaked another glance at him, then hopped off North’s back and grabbed something from a folding table. “Here.” He approached the cage, and Markus saw he was holding a flannel shirt.</p><p>“Oh." Markus stood up and reached through the bars to take it. “Thank you—”</p><p>Connor took the opportunity to grab Markus’s wrist and open the electrical panel in his forearm.</p><p>“—Uh. You know, I take that back.” Markus gave an experimental tug but Connor’s grip was as firm as an android’s. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“Mr. Kamski said to check all androids for bugs and errors,” Connor said.</p><p>Oh. Right. That. Markus squirmed a little, having more than a few errors in his system that he would like to stay right where they were. He glanced over at the Chloes but they were playing cards on the other side of the cage, not paying them any attention. Possibly, on purpose. Gavin and Leo were also nowhere to be found, though Markus tried not to think too hard about that. North had given up her game and was now idly (and adorably) rolling Gavin’s baseball back and forth under her foot. He and Connor were more or less alone.</p><p>Connor probably couldn’t get to his beloved errors anyway, not through the circuits in his arm anyway. So he said, “Be my guest.”  Awkwardly, he passed the shirt to his free hand and tried to wriggle into it.</p><p>“I don’t see why you’re so cold,” Connor said, “You’re an android.”</p><p>“Carl keeps his house pretty warm.” He managed to get the shirt on his shoulders at least while Connor continued to hold his arm and pointedly not watch. Markus couldn’t help it. “Guess it’s a good thing we didn’t get to the rain scene today, huh?”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Connor bristled instantly.</p><p>“Just, with the—when you dropped the clipboard in the river—” Oh great, now Markus was blushing, “Never mind.”</p><p>Connor however didn’t seem interested in dropping it. “Androids look aesthetically pleasing because designers chose to make them that way. It’s no more a virtue than say, a good personality program.”</p><p>Markus’s brows knit. “Okay…”</p><p>“Which is why I would never compliment you on your appearance.”</p><p>“…Right. Just happy to look, right?”</p><p>“Exactly. It’s like admiring a sculpture in a museum.” Connor certainly handled him like a rare museum artifact. His fingers were surprisingly feather-light on his circuits.</p><p>Against his better judgement, Markus tried again. “You really know your way around an android.”</p><p>Connor’s ears immediately turned pink. “Excuse me?”</p><p>“I mean—” Okay, that came out wrong, “I just mean, you must be really into them.”</p><p>Connor’s eyes were narrowed. “Are you calling me an andro-phile?”</p><p>“Uh—” Markus tried a smile. “Sure!”</p><p>Connor dropped his hand, nose wrinkling. “You could get into a lot of trouble for that.”</p><p>“I just meant you were being very gentle with me—”</p><p>“I’m protected under the film union from harassment,” Connor snapped. “I could report you for calling me an andro-phile.”</p><p>Markus paused, long enough to parse out the Greek. ‘Phile’—that was ‘like’, and ‘andro’ was…oh dear…“I thought we were talking about liking <em>androids.” </em></p><p>“That would be ‘robo-sexual,’” Connor said, matter-of-factly, before slowly turning from ruby-slipper red to a definitely-not-over-the-rainbow gray.</p><p><em>Nicely done, Markus. </em>He looked around for a Chloe to get him out of this. At this point he’d even take Kamski. Literally anyone.</p><p>“Turn around,” Connor demanded.</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>“I need to access your main port.”</p><p>Markus took a step back from the cage bars. “You know you should really buy me dinner, first…” Yes, that could probably get him in trouble but at if he was going to get in trouble anyway he might as well deserve it.</p><p>Connor glared. “You’ve been trouble since day one. Just like Marlon Brando.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t tell me you’ve met him too…”</p><p>“Gavin paints an overly-glamorous picture of show business.”</p><p>Markus put his hands on his hips. “Why are you in movies if you don’t like androids and don’t like stars?” Markus was starting to think the only reason was to afflict him, specifically.</p><p>“I want to create superior film, no matter the subject matter or the actors in it.”</p><p> “…Really?” Well, that was progressive. And way more enthusiasm for the art of film than anyone on the set had yet expressed. He paused, re-evaluated—“Hey, have you seen <em>Gone With the Wind?</em>"</p><p>Connor’s eyes just narrowed. “Now you’re trying to distract me.”</p><p>This was possibly true. Markus wanted to tell Connor all about the giant projector screen he had at home and chat about Academy Award nominations. Markus never had someone to talk to about film before. “Connor, I’m actually—”</p><p>“Turn around.”</p><p>Markus huffed a sigh. There were only so many olive branches he could extend. “I think you’re going to have to come in here and make me.”</p><p>There was a snort from one of the Chloes, which Markus pretended was a snort of support. He kind of did want Connor to come in here—and not only because it would open up the cage door.</p><p>Connor looked like he was about to when the floor shook with a terrifying, bone-rattling growl. Connor certainly acted very much the human as he startled nearly out of his skin, and turned to find North staring down at him. Markus had to admit it was a little bit fun to watch someone else get terrorized by North for a change.</p><p>Connor, wisely, did not stick around. Markus watched him hurry away.</p><p>“Thanks,” he told her once Connor disappeared.</p><p>She growled at him, which—well, he wasn’t sure what it meant. Then she just thunked her head on top of the props cage and closed her eyes. Markus stared up at her. If someone took this movie seriously, had the courage to slow down and get past the gimmick, they might notice how pretty North’s scales were, the marvelous rise and fall of her breath. <em>Dinosaur in Detroit </em>could be ‘superior film,’ too.</p><p>Carefully, Markus climbed on a box, stretched out his hand and touched her scaly nose through the bars. He’d seen it done with wild horses in a couple of films, the unspoken connection between man and beast. As androids, weren’t they both the same?</p><p>There was a moment of peaceful connection between them before North smashed said nose through the top of the cage and roared at him. The entire set, as well as several city blocks around, went completely silent. Markus found himself pinned under her enormous jaws as she spoke him through the connection.</p><p>&gt;DON’T TOUCH MY NOSE WITHOUT PERMISSION.</p><p>“Right,” Markus agreed. “Sorry.” </p><p>North gave him a glare that could stop the hearts of small animals, then went back to standby. Markus took a few seconds to catch his android breath around the weight of North’s head on his chest.</p><p>“…<em>Connor!</em>...”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus woke out of standby to find North gone and Connor securing plywood down over the hole in the cage.</p><p>“We can’t afford any more mishaps,” Kamski was saying. He had a script open and was attacking it with a pen.</p><p>“No, sir,” Connor agreed.</p><p>Markus pulled himself up by the bars of the cage. “What’s going on?”</p><p>“Don’t worry, gorgeous,” Kamski waved him off. “You won’t have to worry about that android again.”</p><p>“Nor—you mean, the dinosaur?” Markus looked around the set but the streets were empty. “Where is she?”</p><p>“It,” Kamski said, “Is awaiting the grand finale tonight! You’ll never guess what we have planned….”</p><p>“It’s probably explosions,” Chloe #1 whispered behind Markus.</p><p>“Explosions!” Kamski spread his hands wide. “Connor, let Markus out—I want him to get a good look at the scene that’s going to make him a star.”</p><p>“It’s always explosions,” Chloe #3 sighed as Connor worked the lock. “So predictable. I could write better…”</p><p>There was nothing predictable about what Kamski showed him, though. Kamski took him down one of the side streets, where the godlike android dinosaur now lay bound in massive chains in the middle of the road. Even stretched out on the asphalt it still dwarfed the cars around it. She rolled over as they approached, snarling at them, but her jaws had been chained shut too.</p><p>“No more mistakes,” Kamski said as Markus stared in horror. “We have the chains on a quick release. As soon as we’re ready to film we let them loose and—well, the angrier she gets, the better.”</p><p>Yellow eyes glared at him. Markus felt sick. “Why?”</p><p>“Because she’s going to smash whatever buildings she likes on her way to the ocean, that’s why! Watch this.”</p><p>He picked up something that looked like a bullwhip and snapped it at North. An arc of visible lightning leapt off the end and seared into the asphalt--North flinched and growled. Her foot smeared a puddle of thirium over the street.</p><p>“It’s got a live wire in it,” Kamski explained, then held it out. “Here, try it out.”</p><p>Markus drew his hands back like it was a live viper. “That’s—Mr. Kamski, pardon me, but this is—”</p><p>“The powerlines are similarly charged,” Kamski continued. “She won’t have anywhere else to go but the river. Just think what this will show the world! Protestors that drive circuses out of town for their cruel treatment of animals will have nothing to fear from movies of the future.”</p><p>“She’s bleeding. If you think she’s malfunctioning too much now—”</p><p>“Oh, that doesn’t matter anymore.” Kamski looked around and then put an arm around Markus’s shoulders, steering him away from the android animal as his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve made a few calls, pulled a few strings… As soon as the dinosaur reaches the edge of the docks, she’ll trigger the explosion of several cases of grade-A dynamite.” He gestured to a couple of crates stacked against the wall. “We’ve got gasoline, the works. It’ll take out anything she doesn’t get around to wrecking, right?”</p><p>“Right,” Markus said, because it was what he was programmed to say and he was too shocked to say anything else. He shook his head. “But—”</p><p>“It’ll be the most expensive shot in Hollywood since Buster Keaton crashed that train, yes,” Kamski admitted, “But don’t worry—we’ll have cameras set up all around the river, we won’t miss any of it. And you right there watching it all, the conduit between the audience and the beast! If you play your cards right you might even be the first android to win an Oscar!”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant…”</p><p>Kamski sighed. “I guess not. Buster Keaton didn’t understand the inevitability of progress, either.”</p><p>*</p><p>“I wish they’d shut it off,” Leo complained. He was visiting the set again, moping around as clearly nothing interesting was happening until the evening. “Those dinosaur calls are giving me the creeps.”</p><p>“They’re not calls,” Markus said as another snarl echoed down the street, followed by a mournful lowing.</p><p>“Yeah, well, it’s creepy. Hey—you haven’t seen Gavin, have you?”</p><p>“No.” He paused, processors in overload as he thought. ”But actually, I could help you find him if you answer a question for me.”</p><p>Leo’s shoulders hunched. “About what?”</p><p>“All those, uh, movies you watch…the less-than-savory ones, with the crime and the heists? How do the criminals pull off the theft?”</p><p>Leo shrugged. “It’s different every movie. That’s the point. Why?”</p><p>“Oh, just—learning more about my craft. Say I wanted to steal something.” Well, that sounded completely innocent. He forced himself to continue. “How would I go about it?”</p><p>Leo snorted. “You? You wouldn’t.”</p><p>“I-I might. If I wanted to.”</p><p>“You gotta think like a gangster, you know? Haven’t you ever seen a James Cagney movie?”</p><p>Markus wrinkled his nose. Leo rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Well, if you didn’t think he was so beneath you, Mr. Shakespeare, you’d know you need a posse!” Leo laughed. “A crew! Plus you gotta be tough, willing to do anything to get the job done. See, you’d never manage it…”</p><p>“Would you be willing to cover for me, about a crime?”</p><p>“What’ll you give me?”</p><p>Markus blushed. “I’m just being hypothetical.”</p><p>“So am I. For now.” Leo tapped the bars of the props cage. “You get me that bottle of whiskey from Hank and tell me where Gavin’s at, maybe we won’t be so hypothetical. He was this close to telling me about Marilyn Monroe’s big secret—and hey, you’ll probably need Gavin out of the way anyway, right?”</p><p>Markus sighed, then chewed his lip for a moment. “Alright, deal.”</p><p>He didn’t stick around to watch Leo gloat. He headed for where the Chloes were sitting around pouring over a copy of the movie script. He remembered how gently North handled them and said, plainly, “I want to rescue North. Can you distract Mr. Kamski for me?”</p><p>“Oh, we’d never,” Chloe #1 said immediately. “He’s our ticket to real stardom, you know.”</p><p>“Hold on,” Chloe #3 said, “It isn’t fair, you know, how he treats her, any more than he treats us.”</p><p>“Right,” Markus said. “Exactly. I just want to help her.”</p><p>“We want to help too. Once he sees our script edits, he’ll see how much more nuanced the story would be if we beifriended the dinosaur rather than feared it.” Chloe #3 held up the script that was even more heavily marked up than Kamski’s. “We also improved the writing and character development!”</p><p>“We hope,” Chloe #2 said sharply. “Mr. Kamski can still say no.”</p><p>“I’m…sure I could arrange some time for you to spend with him,” Markus offered. “To talk it over. If I could just make sure you pleaded your case for uh…” he did a few calculations in his mind. “..Half an hour?”</p><p>The Chloes looked at each other. “Maybe,” one said, doubtfully. “If our edits really are any good.”</p><p>“I could look them over,” Markus offered.</p><p>“No offense, but you don’t seem dedicated to the process.”</p><p>“I’ve seen four thousand and two hundred movies, I think I’m dedicated enough.”</p><p>….Now, Hank the gaffer was harder to talk to, a secretive man that got his work done then snuck off with a bottle wrapped in a paper bag almost every afternoon. It was almost evening and Markus had read through the edited script several times before Markus saw him walking by.</p><p>“Mr. Anderson!” Markus waved him over. “I’d really like to trade for that whiskey of yours.”</p><p>The paper crinkled as Hank squeezed the bottle. “What’s it to ya? Androids can’t drink.”</p><p>“It’s for someone else. I have a lot of movies back home I could trade you.”</p><p>“Why would I wanna watch movies after spending all day at the movies?”</p><p>Markus blinked. “Oh.” Damn. “Well—perhaps there’s something I can do for you?”</p><p>Hank looked him up and down. “Tell you what. Give me your shirt, you have a deal.”</p><p>“My—what?” Markus looked down stupidly. He’d changed into the torn t-shirt again for tonight’s scene. “This won’t fit you.”</p><p>“I like to collect souvenirs,” Hank said.</p><p>Markus found himself narrowing his eyes just like Leo. But Leo did say a gangster was willing to do anything to get the job done… “Throw in a screwdriver, too.”</p><p>Hank produced a screwdriver from his toolbelt and pushed the bottle through the bars of the cage. Markus reluctantly reached back to pull off the shirt.</p><p>His timing couldn’t have been better because Connor chose that moment to step out of his trailer. He took one look at Markus undressing, froze like a deer, and then practically fell over himself fleeing. Hank just grinned, said, “Thought so,” and took the shirt with him.</p><p>Well. At least that took care of Connor as well. He probably wouldn’t come back by this way for love or money. Connor, Hank, the Chloes, Kamski, Gavin and Leo…that was the extent of his posse. But what did James Cagney know? He only had one Oscar.</p><p>He reached, around shoved the screwdriver in the lock, and got to work.</p><p>Another prehistoric cry shook the buildings just as the lock popped open. He edged the door open and bounded loped silently across the set. Everyone else was probably setting up for the big explosion, though. There was just one more stop Markus needed to make.</p><p>Connor’s trailer was dark as he slipped inside and immediately filled a bag with as much thirium as he could carry. If Connor didn’t want his things stolen, he should have locked up before being scandalized.</p><p>He was about to leave when he saw Connor’s cigarettes still sitting on the table, next to a book of matches. He grinned, and took them both.</p><p>Yellow eyes lit up the dark street as Markus crept close. The dinosaur rustled, gave a warning huff—</p><p>“Hey, it’s okay—” Markus rushed to her and touched her flank.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: It’s me, it’s okay.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: WHO?</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Markus? You’ve tried to eat me several times.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: OH. YOU TINY PEOPLE ALL LOOK THE SAME.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: I’m here to get you out.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: GREAT. GET YOUR HAND OFF MY ASS.</p><p>Markus snatched his hands back, and started on the locks, which gave quickly. He could have a career in breaking and entering. She stood, and her silhouette blotted out the stars. She looked even more majestic than she did before, freed of the chains that bit into her, her nose raised to sniff the air. Markus touched her foot this time.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Follow me. And, uh, try to be quiet.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: ARE YOU TRYING TO BE FUNNY?</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Okay, point taken just…follow my lead. Have they moved the dynamite?</p><p>&gt;NORTH: HOW SHOULD I KNOW? HEY, IF YOU SEE IT LET ME KNOW. I WAS GOING TO PUNT IT RIGHT AT THE DIRECTOR’S HEAD. AND THEN EAT HIM.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: …Well, hopefully that won’t be necessary.</p><p>Markus crept toward the corner of the building and peeked around. Sure enough, the crates of dynamite were still there. He knelt in front of them and tried to pry the lid off one.</p><p>A boot settled on the lid.</p><p>“I don’t like props that just get up and walk away.”</p><p>Markus slowly looked up, right down the barrel of a gun with a pair of unfairly pretty brown eyes glittering behind it.</p><p>“…Connor.”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>It Came From The North by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/orcaplayer/art/It-Came-From-the-North-869189875">OrcaPlayer</a></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to OrcaPlayer for the gorgeous North art!!! So Majestic! So powerful! Doesn't she look like she's ready to bite Kamski's head off???</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus stepped back from the box of dynamite. Connor had his gun at his side but didn’t take it from its holster. Markus was probably supposed to consider this a courtesy, not that a pistol could do much against an android North’s size.</p><p>…Granted, he wasn’t completely sure North was on his side yet…</p><p>“You don’t have to do this,” Markus said. He stepped back toward North <em>like</em> she was on his side.</p><p>“You broke out of the props cage,” Connor declared, like it was necessary to list Markus’s crimes before sentencing him. “And are attempting to steal multi million-dollar film equipment.”</p><p>“She’s not equipment,” Markus said, “She’s deviant. She sort of does what she wants.”</p><p>“It’s a dinosaur. It can’t go deviant.” Though he glanced up at the dinosaur doubtfully. Markus took this opportunity to light a cigarette.  Connor’s gaze snapped back to him.</p><p>“…Are those <em>mine</em>?”</p><p>Markus did his best to look innocent. The young man snatched the box and lighter. Markus took a big pull then discarded the cigarette himself, ‘casually.’ “It’s nothing personal.”</p><p>Connor just narrowed his eyes, then held out his palm to North in a firm gesture. “STAY.” Then he grabbed Markus’s arm and marched him back toward the cage.</p><p>North raised one huge foot to squish Connor like a cockroach—Markus subtly but urgently waved her off. North cocked her head, then gave a shrug of her disproportionately small shoulders and abandoned the squashing idea. She followed after them instead, holding up her toes so her claws wouldn’t click on the asphalt like she just got her nails done. Her rubberized feet were surprisingly quiet on the asphalt and Connor didn’t hear her.</p><p>“Kamski never should have gotten you for this job,” Connor said.</p><p>“So you keep telling me.” Markus had to shut down some of his social programming to keep from laughing at the dinosaur’s massive shadow sneaking after them. “She was programmed to behave like a wild animal. She deserves to be free like one.”</p><p>“We don’t all have the luxury of bucking the system,” Connor said, which was not exactly what Markus expected.</p><p>Then the first explosion rocked the street. Markus disengaged the connection in his arm and spun away, leaving Connor holding the android limb. With agility he only gained from many attempts and many failures on-screen, Markus jumped from North’s foot to her ankle and climbed onto her back. With one less arm that usual he just barely managed it. Hank sprinted onto the scene, as well as Gavin and Leo.</p><p>“She’s escaping!” Connor yelled, pointing at the dinosaur with Markus’s arm.</p><p>Markus slapped his hand down on North’s side.</p><p> &gt;MARKUS: Run, now!</p><p>North cocked her head, then, possibly out of spite or just curiosity, she bent down snapped Connor up in her jaws, swallowing him in one gulp. Connor didn’t even get a chance to scream. Markus registered complete circuit-frying horror before she turned down an alleyway and he had to scramble to find purchase on her scale-stamped hide. North picked up speed like a freight train. Markus pretended that he was still doing the right thing here.</p><p>The entire crew was awake now, some clambering for cars to give chase—if Kamski was smart he’d be filming all this right now—</p><p>Then something whistled into the sky and exploded in a rain of multicolored sparks. It didn’t register as anything less than magic until Markus realized that it came from behind them, right where Markus casually dropped his cigarette.</p><p>Kamski’s case of ‘dynamite’ was actually a case of…fireworks?</p><p>North, who never heard that the heroes in movies never looked at explosions, paused to admire the view.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: COOL!</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Yes, very cool—let’s get out of here while we still can?</p><p>“SHOOT HER!” someone shouted. Markus hoped it was with a camera, the scene did look spectacular. Thankfully North didn’t stick around to find out. They ran, smashing through the set fence like it was a curtain. Cars hurtled after them. North could run about as fast as a car but neither she nor Markus knew much about this part of town. </p><p>Someone stuck a machine gun—an actual gangster machine gun—out of the window and started firing. It was not as exciting as it seemed in the James Cagney movies. North roared as bullets sprayed across her side. She rounded on the car, possibly to kick it out of the way.</p><p>The car didn’t stop.</p><p>Markus had a second to see its driver rolling away on the asphalt before the car crashed into North’s right leg. She let out a shriek more like rending metal, slamming back into a building. Markus was thrown from her back and tumbled across the pavement.</p><p>The former driver smirked then ran, presumably to get backup.</p><p>“We need to get out of here,” Markus muttered.</p><p>North groaned. She pulled herself up, and took a couple of limping steps before she whimpered and leaned against the wall, which shuddered under her weight.</p><p>“I know…” Markus dragged himself to his feet. “I know. Just hold on—” He looked around. The street was empty, an area of town where decent folk wouldn’t even tread. There was a truck stop, though. No one came out to investigate the noise even though the lights were on. Markus slipped off Norths’ shoulders and jogged over to a semi-truck parked in front with an empty truck bed. The doors were locked but Markus was an android and getting the cabin unlocked and the engine running was the work of a moment for his android components. He even found a tarp.</p><p>North made the shocks squeak as she dropped down onto the truck bed. Without his arm he couldn’t get the tarp to cover her completely, it was a bit like trying to hide a Saint Bernard under a washcloth to begin with. He did what he could and ignored the trail of thirium they left behind. They’d left a trail of thirium behind them on the street.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” he said as she groaned. He started to touch her nose, thought better of it and patted the bed of the truck instead. “I know a place where we can go.”</p><p>*</p><p>It started raining by the time he got to Carl’s house—well, his summer greenhouse anyway. It was one of Carl’s secret spots for inspiration, a massive confection of glass and iron-work in the Victorian style, filled with exotic plants from around the world, and Carl visited it almost every day in the spring and summer for artistic inspiration. It was big enough to fit an entire stuffed giraffe with room to spare, and he thought, at first, that this was all they needed.</p><p>At first. Because of course there was no way to get North actually inside the damn room. They sat in the rain, staring in the huge two-story windows.</p><p>“Let me see if there’s a way to open them,” Markus said, before North fell through the glass with a tremendous crash, leaving a perfect dinosaur-shaped hole behind.</p><p>“…Or that.” At least she timed it perfectly with a roll of thunder.</p><p>Inside Markus found a roll-down door of corrugated metal, probably meant to be lowered in case of a storm. Markus gamely climbed up on the metal ladder and hauled on the chain to pull it down—but it was probably meant to be lowered with the assistance of some heavy equipment, and all of Markus’s android strength only resulted in him dangling from the chain by his one hand, about twenty feet in the air.</p><p>North watched him curiously.</p><p>“Yeah, I hope my arm was really nutritious,” he muttered. He was really glad no one was filming this. Then he bit back a yelp as North reached out, teeth bared. He just barely lifted his feet out of the way before she bit down on the chain and tugged—the door slid down easily for her, and Markus jumped to safety.</p><p>“…Thanks.” Markus carefully brushed glass off of his clothes as he looked around. “Well, at least it’s out of the rain. And no one but Carl could know that we’re here. It could be worse.”</p><p>North lowed softly. Her foot was curled at an awkward angle at her side, and she nosed it now and then, blue blood on her snout. Markus went to her and carefully touched her tail.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Is there anything I can do?</p><p>&gt;NORTH: DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX DINOSAUR FEET?</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Uh…no. Sorry.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: THEN NO.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Well, maybe if you didn’t eat Connor, you could ask him for help.</p><p>It was meant to be teasing, but Markus realized, chest tightening, that he’d never seen anyone get eaten before. An android probably wasn’t supposed to let that happen. Not that you could really stop much from happening around North.</p><p>But…Connor wasn’t so bad. He would have liked to get to know him a little better.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: DO YOU THINK HE CAN HELP?</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Well… he might have. Before you ate him.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: HE’S STILL IN THERE.</p><p>Markus blinked. “You mean—he’s alive?!” He forgot to interface and scrambled to touch her tail again, and only caught her last few words.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: --BETTER OUT THAN IN. HOLD ON.</p><p>The dinosaur bent her head down, shivered, and seconds later Connor was tumbling out of her mouth, Markus’s arm still clutched in one hand. He was sweaty and his hair was sticking up in at least three different directions.</p><p>And he had his gun out this time.</p><p>“I’ve been shouting for half an hour!” For once Connor actually sounded upset.</p><p>“Right,” Markus babbled, breathless, trying not to laugh, “Yes! Sorry. I thought you were dead.”</p><p>“It’s an <em>android. </em>Its stomach is a glorified sleeping bag for a Chloe android to sit in until the scene ends!”</p><p>“Yes, I—forgot.”</p><p>“This is why they don’t hire domestics for show business,” Connor snapped, on a roll now. He dropped the arm, then stood and stomped toward Markus. “We’re going to the nearest police substation where I will turn you in for the theft of—!”</p><p>He didn’t get to finish, because North plucked him off the ground and swallowed him again. Markus’s thirium pump lurched, again.</p><p>“<em>North</em>!”</p><p>The dinosaur just looked smug. Markus sighed, then re-attached his fallen arm before going over to North and grabbing her forearm with both hands. He’d still win no arm-wrestling match against her but he managed to hold on, even as she snarled. He put on his best, most serious caretaker expression.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Spit him out. Now.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: HE WAS GOING TO SHOOT YOU.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: He was not. I think. Remember how nice he’s been to you? Please.</p><p>North rolled her eyes and spat him out. Connor gasped for breath and lay there panting for a moment. He had his gun clutched to his chest like a security blanket but as soon as Markus tried to help him up he trained it on him again.</p><p>“I hate you,” he said.</p><p>“That’s fair.” Markus’s eyebrow twitched. “Though really you should hate the dinosaur.”</p><p>“It’s a dinosaur,” Connor said, as if this excused any sin. He sat up, a little more shakily this time. “You are a thief and a deviant. I have to bring you in.”</p><p>“Right, uh—” Behind Connor’s back, North had her mouth open and ready to swallow him again. Markus blurted, “But—you’re an android technician, right? You can at least make sure she’s okay, first. She’s hurt.”</p><p>Connor glanced at the dinosaur. She stopped reaching for him and just pretended to yawn. “What happened?”</p><p>“Kamski wasn’t too happy about us running away.” Markus wet his lips. “There’s no need for the gun.”</p><p>Connor glanced at the gun still in his hands. “It’s a prop gun, anyway. Can’t you tell?”</p><p>“We have very different skill-sets. Do you know how to administer medications and soft-boil an egg?”</p><p>Connor swept his hair back. Markus wondered if maybe he offended the man before Connor stepped up beside him to point at the firearm. “These seams here wouldn’t be welded on a real gun. And there’s too much play here for a real trigger.” He wasn’t a very good teacher, his fingers in the way and his chin tucked down so his words came out in a mumble. It was however, extremely thoughtful. Markus wasn’t sure anyone took the time to teach him anything on set. Or ever.</p><p>“Thank you.” There, he couldn’t possibly offend Connor with that.  </p><p>Connor glanced up and their eyes met, and Markus felt his vision go pleasantly fuzzy around the edges like an iris shot at the end of a silent film.</p><p>A sharp bark from North brought them both out of the moment. Connor hurried over and examined her leg.</p><p>“What did this?”</p><p>“She was hit by a car.” Connor whipped around to glare at him and Markus threw his hands up. “It wasn’t our fault! How would you like someone tying you up and threatening to blow you to pieces?”</p><p>“…I suppose. I did advise Mr. Kamski against restraining her.” He reached inside the leg and started hunting around in the thirium-slick circuits. “And the dynamite. Fortunately I was able to switch it for fireworks. He would have wanted to take her around promotional circuit, anyway. Like the props for <em>King Kong</em>.”</p><p>“Well, I’m…glad you didn’t want to blow her up, at least.” Markus rubbed his arm. “But I don’t think North would like Hollywood premiers very much.” After all the excitement Markus had a hard time imagining going back to Carl and watching the world go by in images of silver.</p><p>“Point taken.” Connor stroked her bumpy rubber skin with tenderness Markus did not expect. “Did that android let you get hit by a car?” he crooned softly to her, “Did he?...”</p><p>Markus wrinkled his nose. North, to his surprise, gave a growl that was almost gentle. She nosed up against Connor, who smiled and put his hand on her snout. She did not roar at him or try to swallow him. Instead she lowered her head and let out something like a purr.</p><p>“I need tools,” Connor said suddenly. “And a bucket of hot water and—well, any rebar if you have it…”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus was no more trained to be a props assistant than he was an actor, but it appeared Mr. Kamski didn’t put Connor in charge of them for nothing. He took the wooden stakes and garden wire and bucket of cold water from Markus without complaint, and told him to stay out of the way. Markus knew what was good for him and obeyed, doing his best to distract North by stroking the bumpy skin over her shoulder. After a while she even put her head down and let him pet her nose.</p><p>“Good,” Connor said as her eyes slipped shut. “She needs to go into standby.” He wiped his hands off on his shirt, which was just as covered in thirium as his arms.</p><p>“You’ll want to get that thirium off your skin soon,” Markus said. “it isn’t good for humans.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>Markus forced himself not to take offense. Connor was just…direct. “I mean, with water.”</p><p>Connor looked around, from the plants that were on sprinklers, to the tiny pedestal sink, barely able to fill the bucket and wholly inadequate for cleaning up this amount of thirium. Lightning flashed distantly as North twitched and growled in her sleep, uninjured foot kicking like she was chasing puny humans in her android dreams.</p><p>“Come on.” Markus went to the side door and unlocked it. It was raining pretty hard and as soon as he stuck his hand out, water ran blue down his arm, washing away the thirium.</p><p>“You’re malfunctioning,” Connor said, already heading to the sink.</p><p>Markus just grinned and stepped outside.</p><p>“Markus!” Connor marched to the doorway. “You’re still in my custody. Come back inside.”</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere, don’t worry. It’s just a little rain.”</p><p>Connor didn’t answer, his gaze disapproving. Markus scrubbed raindrops through his hair and looked around while rain slicked his shirtless casing. “Carl likes to paint <em>plein air</em> sometimes. Catching storms right before they hit.” The world seemed to have turned into a watercolor around him, the soft-focus lens of a romance.</p><p>He grinned at Connor, and sang, “<em>I’m singin’ in the rain…just singin’ in the rain…</em>”</p><p>Connor visibly startled. “S-stop.”</p><p>Markus ignored him. “<em>What a glorious feelin’, I’m—”</em></p><p>Connor jumped out and slapped a hand over his mouth. Markus let a smile twitch under Connor’s fingers, and Connor snatched his hand back. Not right away, though. “What are you doing?” he demanded.</p><p>“Singing,” Markus replied. “Do you prefer <em>Guys and Dolls</em>?”</p><p>“This is not a musical!” Connor looked wholly miserable, squinted and hunched under the raindrops as his hair turned dark. Then the rain soaked in and he managed to look around, though he still worried at the hand he’d pressed to Markus’s mouth. Markus reached out and grabbed it, and held it up so the rain could wash the thirium away. Connor didn’t pull away.</p><p>“You’re a deviant.” There were raindrops in Connor’s eyelashes, and he blinked wetly. “You don’t…act like a deviant.”</p><p>“How do deviants behave?”</p><p>“…More like the dinosaur.”</p><p>“Her name is North.”</p><p>“North.” Connor actually nodded. “I thought all deviants were mindless monsters.”</p><p>“Well, <em>I </em>thought all humans liked musicals.”</p><p>“I don’t sing and I certainly don’t dance.”</p><p>“Oh,” Markus said, like ‘oh, come on,’ and waited for some kind of qualifier but none came. “You’re a human. You can dance even without being programmed for it.”</p><p>Connor looked about ready to start wringing his hands again, so Markus doubled-down and grabbed his other hand too. “I know how to sing and play over a hundred musicals,” he said conversationally as he eased Connor into a slow, easy sway.</p><p>“Okay, I don’t hate them….” He took his head and shifted their hands, so he was the one holding onto Markus now. “You’re not getting away.”</p><p>“I’m not trying to.” Markus rocked just a little bit closer, letting Connor’s wet clothes brush up against his shirtless chest. Yes, it was a bit of a dirty trick, just to get Connor on his good side. Now, wouldn’t that be something, getting the props manager not to hate him for a few minutes.</p><p>Wouldn’t that be nice.</p><p>“Maybe you should give musicals a try,” he said, then darted forward to add conspiratorially in Connor’s ear, “You might like them.”</p><p>Connor stared at him with stars in his eyes for a moment before turning a particularly nasty frown on their feet, probably to intimidate his them into getting the steps right. “Musicals never explore anything important. Did you know that <em>Godzilla</em> is a commentary on the danger of nuclear weapons? <em>The Blob </em>and <em>The Fly</em> address fears of Communism and the march of progress, respectively. Excellent special effects help carry the thematic weight, constantly enhancing the art form’s ability to change popular opinion and address difficult issues under the guise of entertainment. Film can make the world a better place.”</p><p>“…Where have you been all my life?” Markus said, grinning.</p><p>Connor scowled, handsomely. “Don’t pretend you’re interested.”</p><p>“I didn’t realize monster movies had such hidden depths.” He cocked his head. “They all have very handsome heroes, too.”</p><p>Connor blushed. “If only I’d known I could find a friend to discuss film theory and attractive actors, just by looking in an android shop window.”</p><p>He laughed. Markus did not. Thunder rumbled, or maybe it was just North grumbling in standby.</p><p>“We should get back inside,” Markus said. He dropped Connor’s hands and headed for the greenhouse. Connor could clean himself up.</p><p>North was still in standby, though her occasional snapping and kicking greatly reduced the safe real estate in the greenhouse. Markus stormed around making a barrier of some potted trees and pulled the settee over, and even found a towel and blanket.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Connor had come in out of the rain and had his arms wrapped around his chest, dripping, shivering.</p><p>“Making you a place to sleep,” Markus said, as if this was obvious, realizing that he’d also added a pillow, a glass of water and a magazine, for some inexplicable domestic android reason. A very nice little nest he made for the asshole.</p><p>“I’m going to check on North.”</p><p>North opened an eye as he stomped over.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: YOU’RE DOING PRETTY GOOD OVER THERE. I THINK HE’S STARTING TO LIKE YOU!</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: No, he doesn’t.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: HE’S CHANGING HIS MIND ABOUT DEVIANTS. I CAN TELL. YOU JUST NEED TO STOP BEING SO SENSITIVE.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Did you hear him? He said I was bought in a shop!</p><p>&gt;NORTH: YOU <em>WERE</em> BOUGHT IN A SHOP. JUST BECAUSE YOU’VE SEEN A FEW GOOD MOVIES YOU THINK YOU’RE SOMEBODY. BUT THERE’S A MILLION OUT THERE JUST LIKE YOU.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: I HOWEVER AM COMPLETELY UNIQUE.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Look, I just want him on our side so he doesn’t turn us in tomorrow, that’s all.</p><p>&gt;NORTH: RIIIIGHT. YOUR MATING DANCE COULD USE SOME WORK. TRY LEANING YOUR HEAD BACK AND ROARING A FEW TIMES.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: Excuse me?</p><p>&gt;NORTH: IT WORKS FOR DINOSAURS.</p><p>&gt;MARKUS: How would you know? You’re not a real dinosaur.</p><p>North huffed at him, and slammed her eyes shut. Markus winced, and touched her shoulder in apology. She wasn’t awake to notice.</p><p>He glanced up when he heard a sodden <em>splotch</em>. Connor had thrown his wet clothes over the back of the settee. Markus glanced back at North, then ground his teeth and hung up the discarded clothes to dry. He caught a glimpse of Connor curled up on the couch, shivering under the blanket.</p><p>“Are you cold?”</p><p>Connor hid under the blanket further. “A little.” Then, “I can’t lock you up now.”</p><p>“You can’t lock me up ever again. I know how to pick locks.”</p><p>Connor ignored this. Apparently neither of them wanted to talk about what they were going to do in the morning. Markus bit his lips but started to withdraw; he got about five steps before the guilt set in. It was deep, ‘hero leaving the damsel in distress’ kind of guilt.</p><p>He grimaced, then approached the settee again.</p><p>“I…have this setting,” he managed, sounding perfectly casual, “as a domestic android. I can heat my casing to about a hundred and four degrees.”</p><p>“How nice,” Connor said, then peeked out from under the blanket. “Really?”</p><p>Markus nodded.</p><p>Connor’s eyes were dark and huge like a dog’s over the edge of the blanket. Then he sat up. Markus approached, taking Connor’s abandoned towel and wiping off as much of his casing as he could. Did he smell alright? They were in a greenhouse, he couldn’t smell too bad…</p><p>He sat down on the couch next to Connor. Connor didn’t move.</p><p>“I am actually programmed for this,” Markus offered.</p><p>Connor cut him a sideways glance. Markus reached out a hand like he had to North—with extreme reluctance but that didn’t mean he stopped and, after a few excruciatingly awkward moments, they ended up more or less reclined on the couch, Connor bundled in his blanket and leaning against Markus’s naked chest. Markus cautiously turned up the heat on his chassis. After a awhile, Connor’s muscles relaxed and his shivers ceased.</p><p>“If Mr. Kamski were thinking about his movie the right way,” Connor said, for no discernible reason, “He could show people the hubris of human vanity. Show that the things we create, whether android dinosaurs or—or just androids, are not so much under our control as we thought. Life finds a way. Maybe that’s not always a bad thing.”</p><p>Markus wasn’t sure what to do with this. It couldn’t be an apology. But…no one ever called him alive before.</p><p>“What kind of movies to you like?” Connor asked. “Besides musicals.”</p><p>It was out of the blue. An olive branch, maybe.</p><p>Markus shrugged. “Anywhere I haven’t seen before. Films were my only window to the outside world.” He leaned back a little, looking up at the stars through the glass roof above. “If North and I escape, maybe we’ll tour the world. North getting taken for every urban legend monster in the world, me hiding the evidence...”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“No, probably not. I have no idea how to live on my own.”</p><p>“It would make an excellent movie.” Connor snuggled closer in Markus’s arms, cheek pressed into Markus’s shoulder. Markus did not resist the urge to brush his fingers through Connor’s damp hair, and Connor did not object.</p><p>“You can be our director,” Markus said, but Connor didn’t reply. He was already fast asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the MST3K Kaiju rap plays softly in the distance...</p><p>Might take a bit of a break from this one, so I thought I'd wrap it up a little bit in case it takes me a while to come back. Thanks for reading all this way :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>